Prime Minister leaves on Germany, Uzbekistan tour

New Delhi, Apr 22: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left here today on a five-day tour of Germany and Uzbekistan, expressing the hope that his visit would strengthen India's trade and strategic partnership with Berlin and provide a new meaning to the comprehensive ties with Tashkent.

''My visit to Germany will provide an opportunity to further strengthen relations with one of the major European powers and a valuable partner on global issues,'' Dr Singh said in a statement before leaving for Hannover.

At Hannover, Dr Singh will inaugurate the India Pavilion at the world's largest technology exhibition in which New Delhi is taking part for the first time in 22 years. Over 300 Indian companies, including PSUs and chambers of commerce and industry, have put up stalls at the fair.

The overseas visit, the first by Dr Singh this year, will also take him to Berlin as part of the annual summit meetings between India and Germany. At Berlin, the Prime Minister will hold talks with Chancellor Angela Merkel, at whose invitation the visit is taking place, and President Horst Kohler.

The Germany leg of the tour also assumes significance in the wake of the Indo-US nuclear deal as Berlin is a key member of the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG).

However, the Prime Minister laid stress on trade and economic ties with Germany, stating that Berlin ''is one of the world's foremost trading nations. It is one of India's most important business partners and among the major foreign investors in our country.'' Dr Singh said India's participation at the Hannover Fair would help showcase the vast potential for partnership that India offered for trade, industry and technological collaboration through mutual benefit.

On his visit to Uzbekistan, taking place at the invitation of President Islam Karimov, he said India hoped to build on ''our traditional ties in providing them with new meaning and substance including in the political, economic, defence, energy, science and technology and cultural fields.'' The Prime Minister said the two countries shared longstanding ties and deep-rooted cultural and civilisational links. ''Uzbekistan is an important country in the Central Asian region which we consider part of our extended neighbourhood.'' Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Home Minister Shivraj Patil and several other cabinet ministers were present at the 7 Race Course residence of Dr Singh to see him off.

UNI